Danny has played in all 50 states, Canada, Japan, and Europe with a wide variety of artists, including Charlie Rich, Mel McDaniel , and Brenda Lee . With these artists and with his own bands, he has performed on Austin City Limits , the Grand Ole Opry, HBO , and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival . In the late 70's, Danny spent two years in Austin, TX and shared bills with Stevie Ray Vaughn and the Neville Brothers , among others.
While living in Nashville, TN, he had the opportunity to perform with Dicky Betts, Gregg Allman , Rodney Crowell, Gatemouth Brown , and Dash Crofts , among others. He was also a staff writer for Warner/Chappell (Warner Bros. publishing company). Danny wrote songs for several artists, including Etta James . His song, “Get Funky,” was the first single from Etta's Stickin' to My Guns album, released on Island Records.
In 1996, Danny moved to Arizona and formed the Messengers. The band won the 1999 Arizona Battle of the Bands and has opened for the Neville Brothers, the Radiators, Tab Benoit , and Sonny Landreth.
For the past several years, Danny has hosted a blues show at Cliff Castle Casino and has performed with many of the biggest names in Arizona blues, including Big Pete Pearson, Long John Hunter, Bob Blasi, JD Simo, Chuck Hall, Tommy Dukes, Maxine Johnson, Chico Chism, Chris Hiatt , and Hans Olson . In addition, since 1999, Danny has hosted the phenomenally successfully Blues Summit on December 26 th featuring Bob Blasi, Troy Perkins, and various guest artists.
Danny was recently named Blues Musician of the Year by the Verde Valley's Kudo Magazine.
Danny was
inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame in May.
"Danny Rhodes and the Messengers are a grade "A" live band. They project their music soulfully and with enthusiasm, providing the audience with a plethora of original tunes as well as an array of covers"
-Flagstaff Live
"Danny Rhodes and the Messengers took the stage with force and rocked the house through midnight and beyond. Many people were dancing while others stood in mute amazement of the pure rock 'n' roll energy spilling off the stage. Their performance was truly stunning whether they were playing a smokin' blues original or leading the crowd through an almost gospel arrangement of "Auld Lang Syne". The entire 1000 seat theatre was fired up. During the course of the night, it was astounding to see a constant stream of people flowing into the Orpheum. Danny Rhodes and the Messengers were perfect...."
-Flagstaff Live
-Dan Engler
-Thomas Bond
- Jennifer Martinez, Dragonfly Lounge Coordinator
“Cajun-flavored, rock-powered, soul-grabbing funk. Bayou rhythmic. Swamp-rock R&B. Top-of-the-line roots blues. Musical Gumbo.”
“The Messengers received overwhelming critical acclaim for their debut CD, Home Cookin' , as well as their current release, Welcome to the Night . The group has performed around the country in such venues as The House of Blues, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Louisiana Folklife Festival, Las Vegas' Blue Note, The Palomino Club (LA), Altanta's Exit In, and the Fiesta Bowl Block Party."
The Messengers have shared the stage with Kansas, the Neville Brothers, the Radiators, Coco Montoya, Tommy Castro, Little Feat, Sonny Landreth and many others. Lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Danny Rhodes landed his first record deal at 19 with the group 5 x 5, which scored with a national top 10 cover of Jimi Hendrix's “Fire”. He went on to become widely-recognized as a member of the Austin-based band Texoid. In addition, the legendary Etta James' first single off her Stickin' to My Guns CD (Island) was the Rhodes-penned “Get Funky.”
